Oct 22Designing with purpose: The Hub at Sunnydale
Opened in October 2024, The Hub is a 30,000 sq. ft. transformational space that offers Sunnydale residents more than a modern facility — it provides a space to connect, share, and grow together.
We recently caught up with Ian Ashcraft-Williams and Gregg Novicoff, the creative minds behind The Hub at Sunnydale, to talk about how they transformed a vision into a welcoming space for the community.
How to build more than just a building
Designed to foster unity, The Hub is the heart of the community, connecting the Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods, providing resources, programs, and support.
“We believe everyone deserves a great design – not just a good design, but a great design,” Gregg explained. “From the start, we knew that it was about creating a space that felt welcoming, connected, and rooted in the Sunnydale community,” he added.
Rather than designing for the community, Novicoff and Ashcraft-Williams designed with it—gathering insights, stories, and ideas from Sunnydale residents to build a center that truly felt like home. “Our goal was to help create a space that felt like it belonged to the people who use it every day,” Ashcroft-Williams shared. “We heard from young people, elders, staff — everyone had something to say, and we listened.”
Novicoff and Ashcraft-Williams wanted a space that said, “You matter. You belong here.”
Building for belonging
“It starts with respect,” Novicoff explained. “Not assuming we are bringing something to a community, but understanding you’re building with one. The Hub reflects Sunnydale – its resilience, its energy, its people. That’s the heart of it.”
The two were intentional about selecting the materials and layout when designing The Hub. They wanted to create a relaxing environment where people felt comfortable and at home. “It softens the space and invites people to linger longer.”
For Sunnydale youth resident Helishia, The Hub has become an oasis. “It’s not messy. Nobody’s gossiping or pointing fingers. People help you, or they find someone who can. They greet you when you come in. They see you.”
Sunnydale resident Natasha added, “It’s a good place, with good programs and good people. I feel relaxed here.”
There was a moment when Ashcraft-Williams was walking back to his car after a visit and overheard a group of young men talking. One of them asked, ‘What’s that building?’ and the other said, ‘That’s the new Hub. It’s awesome — we’ve got this, this, and this.’ Just hearing that made him stop. “That’s the kind of response you hope for as a designer,” he reflected.
Building for connection
One of Novicoff’s favorite places in the building is the living room at the front of The Hub. “It’s relaxed, visible, and connects to the outside,” he explained. “You can just sit, read, talk, or wait — and feel like you’re not in the way. It’s those kinds of details that make a space feel like it’s meant for people, not just programs.”
A connection to Sunnydale’s history is also captured. The Hub is built on the foundation of previous stories of strength, community, and lifting one another up. “We wanted to honor the past by creating a space that doesn’t erase the past but uplifts it,” Novicoff explained. Rather than seeing the design as a fresh start, the team chose to honor what already existed.
Shortly before the first residents walked through the doors of The Hub, Ashcroft-Williams shared his hope for the community. “I hope they feel seen. I hope they feel that this space was made with them in mind – because it was. If someone walks in and thinks, ‘I belong here,’ then we did our job right.”
The Hub turns one
It has been one year since the grand opening of The Hub, and the Sunnydale community celebrated the milestone with a party and Pumpkin Fest. “I try my best to come whenever something is going on,” Natasha shared, adding, “I love the events.” What was once a vision is now a welcoming home for collaboration, classes, celebrations, and everyday memorable moments that allow the community to shine.
